Combined tire rack and workbench



Nov. 15, 1927. -1,649,679

E. FREIVOGEL COMBINED TIRE RACK AND WORKBENCH Filed Jan. 7. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ernesl/rea'vog Nov. 15, 1927. 1,649,679

E. FREIVOGEL.

COMBINED TIRE RACK AND WORKBENCH Filed Jan. v. 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 JAH J INVENTOR. Ernes eivqyel BY 6MM/cw" y ATTORNEYS.

Ll il Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST rnmvoonn, or nrnonrrnnn, CONNECTICUT, nssroivon or CNE-Hamme Brennan A. JACKSON, or nrnenrrntn, conrinorrcnlr.

COMBINED TIRE RACK'ANID WORKBENCH.

Application led January 7, 1927. Serial No. 159,557'.

`The present invention relates to a combined tire-rack and Work-bench normally adapted to constitute a rear tire-rack and further adapted, on occasion, to be unfolded to provide a Work-bench or table for putting tires on `or takingV them ori of the rims, 'he present en'ibodiment being particularly adapted ior solid demountable rims.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which Will form a .substantialpart of the automobile structure; and when in normal use With the tire mounted thereon, will have the appearance of an ordinary tire-rack.

A further object is to provide a rack which will permit of the Convenient mounting and removal of tires and Wheels thereon, and which may be readily extended to form the work-bench or table When it is desired to remove or mount a tire on the rim.l

ln the use of a disc, or Wire Wheels, and demountable Wood Wheels, the Wheel, itself, is adapted to be mounted directly upon the tire-racl and in the use 4oli the rack as a Work-bench, constitutes a. table for supporting the rim during removal and mounting of a tire thereon. With demountable rims however, it is necessary to provide a support upon the tire-rack for the rim, and Which Will also constitute a table While the rack is being used as a work-bench; and to this end, it is proposed to provide a support adapted for holding the rim upon the rack, and also adapted, when the device is used as a Work-bench, to support the rim in elevated horizontal relation to the table either in position for mounting' a tire thereon, or in its reverse' positionfor removing the tire therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device having di'lerent diameter portions 'for' supporting the rim, either obversely or reversely, in a manner to hold it in rigid position by its own Weight.

A further object is to provide improved retaining means for retaining and locking the tire upon the rack, such retaining means also adapted, in the use 'of the device as a Work-bench., to constitute a support for the device. 1

With the above and other objects invieiv, an embodiment of theinvention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described, with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out inqthe claims. f Y In the drawings: i Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the rear of an automobile, showinga Combined tireent embodiment of the invention, mounted thereon and in position to constitute avtire- V rack.

ticularly to Figs. 2 and 3 thereohthe deL.

vice is mounted at the rear of the automobile upon the cross-frame member 10, usually provided between the rearwardly projecting ends of the side frame members shoivn in the present illustration as `11 and 12. Centrally of the crosstraine member there is provided an tip-right support 13 bent about said member, as at 14;, and rigidly secured thereto by means of a bolt 15. At the upper end olf this member there is provided an aperture 16 in line With the axis of the mountedtire, as Will hereinafter more fully appear; and at each side of said aperture there are formed rearwardly-bent lugs or .ears 17 Connected by tie-rods 18 to the side frame members 11 and 12 at each side, the rods serving with the rigid support 13 to provide a substantial mounting for the device in its use as a. tire-rack. At each side of the support 13, substantially midway betvveenv said support and the ends of the. member 10, 'hinged supports 19 and 20 are rigidly securedto said member, the supports being of any suitable construction that may be rigidly connected to the member 10 and providing `orivardly-projecting.hinge forming' portions. l

The hinged rack member 21, in the term of an inverted U, is hingedly mounted upon the supports 19 and 2O by means of hinge-bolts 2Q and 23. This member may be of any suitable construction, such as sheet metal, cast iron, or the like, and at 4its upper transverse portion and at its rear au rack and Work-bench, according to the pres g side, one, inember24 of a yhinge is secured thereto by means of rivets 25 or otherwise, the other member 26 of the liinge'norinally extending above the upper edgeot the mein bei' 21 and having secured thereto, by means of rivets 27, a spacer-plate 28 normally resting upon the upper edge ot' the inember 21, as shown in Fig. 3, andot',substan-A tially the same metal thickness, and the -upperfend of an extension support 29 nor mally extending down fardly across the tace of the transverse portion ot the member 21, andfin front of the upper end of the rigid support 1 3, Where it is provided ivitlifan aperture 30 in axial` alignment with the aperture 16`ot said support 13. i i

It will be noted that the hinge line ot' the hinge 24-26 is in the plane of the upper edgeiot the member 21, so that sai'deiiteni sion support 29 is adapted tohave its upper end folded bael upon the rearward side of the member 21, in which position the support `29 constitutes `a projection or exten-` `sion of the member 21. In surrounding relation to the aperture 30 in the member 29, there is provided an enlarged eircularbase portion 31; andwithin saidaperture there is secured aleentral post32 having a flange 33 at one` end engaging the underside of said extension support 29 and a threaded stud 34 adapted to be inserted through "the aperture 16 of the rigid support 13, Where it is engaged by `an elongated nut35` to thereby secure the support 29 and the central post 32 in rigid relation to the support 13. ,At the forward end ot' theeentral post 32 there is provided a threaded extension or stud 36 for the purpose ot securing the tire retaining means hereinafter more fully referred to. y l t In this relation, the device constitutes a tire-rack; and it Will be understood that demountable wheels, such as wire wheels, disc Wheels, or the den'iountable artillery type ot Wood `Wheel, may be directly engaged upon the central post 32, and in such engaged relation may alsoconstitute 4a supporting` table for the mounting or removal of a tire in the extended relation otthe device as shown in Fig. 4. y e

For the purpose ot mounting a de1nountable rim. however, a special type o t support or table is provided, and ivhieh consists 'ot a hub 37 rotatably mounted upon the central post 32, provided with a base flange 38 that may turn `on thel portion r31 of the support Q9. and provided in spaced relation to its outer end with a liange 39" upon which there is'seeured a circula-r plate or table 40. This plate is provided. at its periphery Wit-h a` flangeincluding a portion 41'of a diameter adapted to receiveand support the grooved ringreceivingportion 42 at the forward side of the tire rim 43, and a larger diameter i stepped portion 44 oi a diameter adapted to receive and` rigidly supportthe inner surtace ot' said rim 43 near the rearward edge of the rim, this surtace,`as usual with solid deinountable rims, provided with cir ciunferential ribs 45, which when the rim is in the reverse position troni that shown in Fig. 4 abut the shoulder between the llange portions 41 and 44 andv thereby position the rim.

As shown in Fig-v3, the tire rini is supported upon the table 40 in substantially the saine` manner as shown in li`ig..4l ,exce1iit that here the rim is secured in plaoe by means oit' a bar. 46 provided centrally with a nut portion 47, which is` `screwed upon the threaded stud 3G otthe central post 3Q, this nut being rotatable Within and :ulapted lo be turned by a hand-grip portion 48, so that the bar may be positioned and then secured byturning the nut by hand Without changing the position ot the bar. The bar is tur ther provided at one end with a threaded bore 49 ot a diameter adapted to be engaged upon the threaded stud 34 so as to eonstitute a support for the device when used as a Work-bench, as ivill presently more fully ap-` pear. i

' In order to remove the spare tire from theL rack, for `mounting upon a wheel, it only necessaryto removethe bar 46 by disengag ing the nut 47 from the central post 32. the tire rim being then readily removed from the plate 40. When it is desired to remove la tire trom the rim or place another one thereon, in repairingpunctures and the like.

the rack is adapted to be extended and used as a work-bench, as clearly shown in Fig. Lfl. llor this purl'ioso,` the bar 4G is ren'iovei'l by dieengaging the nut 47 lrointlie central post 32, and the rack is released from the rigid support 13 by disengaging tlieelongated nut 35 at the rear, disengagement of this nut j iermitting the member Q1 to be swung out Wai'dly into a substantially horizontal position. At the saine time the extension support QS) is swung outwardly with. relation to the end ot' the member 21., the horizfnital position o'l the said support. with relation to the member 21, being inaintaiiuai by abutment ot tbe hinged portions Ql and and in this position the bar 4G screwed upon the threaded stud 34 and constitutes a sup-` porting leg tor the device which now univ bensed as a workbench.

In this position, and `with the tire rim till lili

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42 upwardly. The tire will readily move into place against the rearward flange ot the rim and the retaining ring may thereupon be snapped into the groove 42 in the usual manner.

l have illustrated a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A convertible tire-rack and workbench, comprising supporting means adapted to be rigidly secured to a portion of an automobile, a hinged member movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position, means for rigidly securing said member with respect to said supporting means in said substantially vert-ical position, tire 'rim supporting means carried by said hinged member, means for securing a tire rim to said supporting means, and said securing means adapted to form a support for said rim supporting means in the horizontal position of 'said hinged member.

2. A convertible tire-rack and work-bench, comprising supporting means adapted to be rigidly secured to-a portion of an automobile, a hinged member movable between a substantially v-ertical position and a substantially horizontal position, means for rigidly securing said member with respectto said supporting means in substantially vertical position, and tire rim supporting means hingedly secured to said hinged member adapted to be moved ,between a superimposed position with relation to said member and an extended position. l

3. A convertible tire-rack and work-bench, comprising supporting means adapted to be rigidly secured to a portion ott an automobile, a. hinged member movable between a substantially vertical position and -a sub stantially horizontal position, tire rim supporting` means for removably securing said hinged member with respect to said support to rigidly secure the vertical relation of said hinged member, and means adapted to be secured to said tire rim supporting means in the horizontal position of said hinged member and constituting an upright sup port.

4f.. A convertible tireraclr and work-bench, Y

comprising supporting means adapted to be rigidly secured to a portion of an automobile, a hinged member movable between a substantially vertical position and substantially horizontal position, an extension member hingedly secured to said hinged member at one end and provided at its other end with a central post, said extension member constitute an upright supportfor the hinged i member in its horizontal relation.

5. A convertible tire-rack and work-bench, comprising supporting'means adapted to be rigidly. secured to a portion oit anautomov 8 l l bile, a tire rim supporting means` liingedly y secured to said rigid supporting means,

means adapted to be secured to said tire rim supportingmeans constituting an upright post, said tire rim supporting means includ ing a disc having annular seats thereon of dilierent diameters.

6. A convertible tireraclr and work-bench, comprising supporting means adapted to be rigidly secured to a portion of an automobile, a hinged memb-er movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position, means for rigidly securing Vsaid member with respect to said supporting means in said substantially vertical position, and tire rim supporting means carried by said hinged member and comprising a disc including an 'annular flange having two diameters. Y

7. A convertible tire-rack and work-bench, comprising supporting means adapted to be rigidly secured to a. portion of an automobile, a hinged vmember movable between a substantially vertical position and a substan* tially horizontal position, means for rigidly securing said member with respect to said supporting means in said substantially vertical position, and tire rim supporting means carried by said hinged member, including a member having peripheral flanged portions ofl two diameters, one of said diameters adapted for engagement with the reduced diameter edge of a tire rim, and the other diameter flanged portion adapted for engagement with the inner periphery of the rim in reverse relation to the engagement with the reduced diameter flanged portion.

8. A convertible tire-rack and work-bench, comprising supporting means adapted to be rigidly secured to a portion of an automobile, va hinged member movable between 'a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position, an extension member hingedly secured to said 'hinged member at one end, a center postprovided at its other end, na threaded stud at the rearward end of said center post adapted to be engaged with said supporting means, se curing means adapted to be engaged with said threaded stud to rigidly secure said center post in respect to4 said support, a rim retaining bar'ada-pted to be removably engaged with the forward end of said center post andprovic'led at one end with a threaded portion adapted for engagementwith Said threaded stud, whereby in the extended hori zout-al position jot said hinged member and hingedextenson said rim retaining harris adaptedior engagement with said central post at` its rearward `end to `constitute an upright. support. Y

9. A convertible tire-rack and work-bench, comprising a table having annular Supporting-,means of two diameters, one adapted for engagement with the smaller ange ot a tire rim and the'other for engagen'lent Withthe larger periphery ot' the rim in reverse relation to the engagement with the smaller anf nnlar portion, said bench being rotatably mounted upon a vsupport elevating troni the ground, and so constructed as to hold a tire rim by its own weight, while a tire is being pnt on Vor taken oil' the rim. r

l0. A convertible tire-rank and nimh bench, comprising a hinged member mov-` able between a. Substantially vertical polsitlon and a substantially horizontal poetion, tire rim supporting means hinirecflly seemed to said hinged member adapted to be moved between superimposed position withrelatcm to said member and an extend-ed position, means for securing a tire rim on said rim supporting means, and Said Securing means adapted to be a support for said rim enpporting means in the horizontal position of said hinged member.

Signed at Ridgefield i in the county of Fairh'eld and State o1' Connecticut, thiev 5th day oi Jany., A.. D. 1.927'.`

ERNEST FREVUG'LEL. 

